Territory



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. BOUND.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 388,815. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

ll v I i hi j l J- H" 1% "V" I v t v ,AT L-IST- (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. BOUND.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 388,815. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

FIGB. I

I! 3 p! l 1'00 I 70 1f /"i r A T T INVENTOR.

. 01/ J/wi/ow 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. BOUND.

GAR GOUPLING.

(No Model.

No. 388,815. Patented Sept. 4, 1888.

FIG. 4.

JOHN llOl Nl OF TUCSON, ARIZONA TF1 tRITORY, ASSIGNOR OF ()NIHIALF TO JUHN (l. \VITITAKNR, OF SAME lliAC F.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,815, dated September 4, 1888.

Application filed May 17. IP88.

To all, whom it; may concern:

Be it known that I, JouN Room), a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tucson, in the county of lima and Territory of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Couplers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In my drawings, in Figure 1, A represents a view of the front part of a railroad-car; B, a lever by which the automatic clutch is released; l), the draw-head; F, the clutch, with a tongue or plunger, f, in position holding the arrowhead II of the coupling-link 1.

Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the draw head with the clutch F released and the arrowhead II of the couplinglink P in position of falling out.

Fig. 3 represents a sectional view ofthe drawhead with the clutch F and tongue or plunger fin the act of closing down upon the arrowhead H of the coupling-link P after the head of the link has been driven into the d raw-head D.

Fig. 4 represents in section the draw head on the line :0 :r, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a form of lever for inanipulating the device when attached to passengercars.

Fig. Grepresents a double slotted link, being a modified form of link 1 In Fig. 4 the mortises m m are designed to receive the lock-bars (l a, which pass through the front part of the clutch F in the slots 0 c, which are so placed as to serve as guides to the lock-bars a a, giving them a divergent and out ward direction into the mortises m m, thus se curely locking and holding in place the clutch F. The tongue or plungerf is shown in posi- 0 tion in the opening (I in the clutch F to enter the slot 8 in the coupling-link H on release of lever B, thus taking an additional hold upon the coupling-link.

The coupling-link P being out and pressure on lever released, the forward part of the el utch F swings down on the bolt 9 by the action of gravity, assisted by the spring Ir, so that the shoulder forming its jaw N is perpendicular to the plane ofthe top of the draw-head D and approaching the jaw on 1) as nearly as the cout'ormation will permit, the tongue or plunger Serial No. 274,215. (No model.)

f projecting downward through the clutch F, the lock-bars n, a carried down by the tonguef, with ends resting in mortises m m, the sprlng I; released from tension and holding the parts 5; in place by pressure at the point g. In this position the draw head is ready to receive the arrow-head H of link P, which, being forcibly inserted between the jaws N and L, comes first in contact with and drives up the tongue or plungerf, which carries with it the lock-bars a a, releasing them from hold at m m. The clutch, being thus released, is carried up until the arrow-head H on the coupling-link 1 passes beyond the jaws N and L, the increased tension on the spring is released, the aw of the clutch F falls over the shoulder on the upper side of the arrow-head H on the coupling-link P, the shoulder on the under side thereof falls behind the jaw L, the ends of lock-bars a a fall into the mortisesm m,and the tongue or plunger f drops into the slot 8 in the coupling-link I, thus grasping and holding the coupling -l1nk in place with only sufficient play to accommodate the varying motions ofthe bodies coupled. 7

There is provided in the bottom of the drawhead D (shown in drawings, Fig. 3, at dotted line) a recess or excavation, r, forming a shoulder to receive the lower projection of the clutch F,f0r the purpose of relieving the main 8o bolt 5 on which clutch F swings, from sudden concussion and strain 01" coupling. A pro ection at u upon the upper rear part of the e] uteh F falls against the solid cross top section ot the drawhead 1) at the point 1;, which tends to relieve the strain on the main bolt y at the time ofstarting and in drawing. Relief is also provided to the main bolt 9 by the top of the clutch F coming in contact with a downward projection of the upper part of the draw-head o 1) at 10 when clutch F is locked in place.

The tongue or plunger f and loek-bars a u. may be dispensed with, as the clutch F,whcn clasping the arrow-head H ofthe coupling-link l,will be held in place by gravity,assisted by 5 the spring/r; but they should be used as an additional security, especially for heavy work. If dispensed with, the link 11 by which the lever is connected, should be attached to the top of the clutch F.

I provide a hole through the upper front portion of the clutch F, behind the tongue or plnngerf, conforming to holes in the drawhead, to receive an ordinary coupling-pin in case of necessity. These holes are not in the drawings. The projection or teat I (shown in drawings, Fig. 2) on the lower and rear projection of the clutch F falls into the excavation r in the bottom of the draw-head I) and assists in breaking the shock of coupling. It also comes in contact with the jaw Ii when the clutch F is thrown up and released, thus preventing the clutch from swinging up too far. I provide a continuous slot or series of openings in bottom of draw-head to admit of the escape of dirt and other matter that might otherwise accumulate and prevent the workiug of the parts.

Uncoupling is performed by raising the loekbars a a, tongue or plunger f, and clutch F by means of the lever 1%, attached to the link Y, releasing the hold at m m and the grasp of the jaws N and L upon the arrow-head H of the coupling-link I, the formation of the lower arm of the clutch F being such as to act as an ejector upon the lower shoulder of the arrowhead H and throw it forward and out.

I prefer the link Y to be doubleslotted, so that the purchase end of the lever and bolt passing through same at right angles can freely play up and down without obstruction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In an automatic coupler, the clutch F, having the jaw N and rear projection terminating at t, in combination with the d raw-head D, having thejaw L. as and for the purposes described.

In an automatic coupler, the peculiar construction of the clutch F, having a rear projcctiou with a concave inner surface, in combination with the coupling-link I, provided with the head II, operating in the manner de scribed.

3. In an automatic coupler, the clutch F, having a rear and downward projection, as shown, in combination with the pin 1, the spring [6, and jaw T1 on draw-head I), as and for the purposes (lOSCllbed.

4. In the herein-described automatic coupler, the clutch F, having the projection u, in combination with the pin gand solid cross top section I) of the draw-head D.

5. In an automatieeoupler, the lock-bars a a, in combination with the clutch F and mortises m, m. in the d rawhead l), substantially as described.

ii. In an automatic eonpler,the clutch herein described,having the tongue or plunger actuated through a slot therein.

7. In an automatic coupler, the clutch herein described,having the tongue or plunger actuated by gravity, in combination with a slotted coupling-link.

S. In an automatic coupler, the clutch F, in combination with the tongue or plunger f, lock-bars (H1, and the mortises mm in the (l rawhead 1), as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.IUIIN BOUND.

Witnesses:

.IA MES MA 0 A n/rn n n, A Lnnn'r WnLpoN. 

